World Wide Woozle episode #661

Welcome aboard. In the event of us crashing into a mountain, there's a life jacket under your seat. Put it on, come back to life.*

For those about to rock...

Let's start with AC/DC. A week ago Angus and I stood in the rain at the MCG with 80,000 of our closest friends to see one of the greatest bands of all time. I've explained before how much AC/DC means to me. One listen to two tracks, TNT and Back In Black, as a teenager made me an instant fan. We have DJ Dave Dubya to thank for that and it's a debt that can never be repaid. At this gig I was unsure what to expect. Malcolm Young passed away a while ago now, Cliff Williams (bass) isn't touring with the band, and neither is Phil Rudd or Chris Slade (both drums). Then of course there are the well publicised issues that Brian has had with his hearing and therefore ability to sing. He's also almost 80. As a result of the rain, we got there in time to see the last three songs from Amyl and The Sniffers. They were doing a great job in front of an enthusiastic crowd but were suffering from a muffled mix. Put them on your list to see at a headlining gig because I certainly will be. AC/DC started on time at 2030hrs. The setlist was well known and has had only one change for the Australian tour so far with the inclusion of Jailbreak. This is fair enough as it was released here in 1976 as a single (going to number 10), and is the final track on the Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap album. Jailbreak wasn't released internationally until 1984 on the '74 Jailbreak EP. Let's get my minor gripes out of the way first. Stevie Young (rhythm guitar) has a tone that is way too clean. Yes, Malcolm played a relatively clean tone but there was always more drive than that. The intro to the first song, If You Want Blood (You've Got It), sounded thin. At times, Angus sounded like he was playing fencing wire through a cheese grater rather than his classic Gibson SG. That's when the sound team remembered to boost his volume for his solos. A number of times they forgot until about half way through. I reckon most of the crowd could've ridden that fader on the soundboard better than we experienced. Brian's voice; yep it's almost dead and buried. It was, admittedly, a lot better than our 2015 experience but clearly he's at his absolute limit despite the fact they've dropped the tuning a bit to help him out. Everyone knows all the words anyway and just seeing him having the time of his life was awesome. What was good? Pretty much everything else. The rhythm section of Stevie, Chris (bass) and Matt (drums) were absolutely rock solid and, given a few of the timing issues that Angus and Brian had, this was a good thing. Seriously though, they were magnificent. Angus Young, at 70 years young, ran around in the rain and still played like a madman. The crowd was more diverse than a diverse thing. Old folks, teenagers, little kids on their parent's shoulders, and everyone in between just rocking out. A big up yours to all the smokers though; bastards. For me, the best song moments were at the start of Whole Lotta Rosie when everyone chants, "Angus", and one of their most recent songs, Shot In The Dark. Given that a few weeks ago I had serious doubts that I would be able to even get to the gig, I had a great time. Nothing beats the best band in the world, in your home state, in a massive stadium, rocking out with your son.

 

AC/DC - For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) live - https://youtu.be/RtMGoU9NcMo

Six year search concludes...

I listen to a lot of music at home. You may have guessed. CDs, records, cassettes, the radio, and streaming. So I want it to sound good. Headphones are OK, some Bluetooth speakers don't do a bad job either. But nothing beats a decent stereo system. In days long gone now, having a decent hi-fi system was a source of pride and admiration. I knew which of my friends had parents with a decent setup, and which of them were lucky enough to have one themselves. It's out of fashion now with the advent of portable speakers and soundbars. In the mid 80s my parents bought a new stereo setup and the old one made its way into my bedroom. It was a fabulous experience and I held onto the system until the end of 2019. To be fair, at the end, the speakers were dead and the amp and turntable needed servicing but they still sounded great. And I gave it away. I gave a lot of stuff away at that time. I wasn't well and I realise that now. So, I've spent the last six or so years looking for a replacement for the lovely Sansui 771 receiver that had come into our family in about 1973. A couple of weeks ago one popped up locally. The guy selling it had a decent price on it and, after a chat, I found out that he has a passion for looking after old equipment. So I bought it. It wasn't cheap but it's amazing. The sound is warm, fat and like having a big hug. On a side note, I now have a nice mid 90s Yamaha receiver if anyone wants it! There's not room in my house for that much stereo gear!

Metallica - Seek and Destroy (live in Melbourne 2025) - https://youtu.be/XDXH2btvfV0

The end... 

It's been an interesting couple of weeks. I got to hang out with my Dad, my son AND my brother. Despite a couple of mental and physical blips, I made it to and from Melbourne relatively unscathed. I've started in a new team at work and they are already amazing. The missing part of the puzzle is getting back on my bike and I'm hoping to start after my review with the chiropractor this coming week. To be honest, it's worrying me a lot. Not riding has left a huge hole in my life especially in terms of social connection. 

Happy birthday to my Dad for yesterday. Here's a track for him.

Battlefield Band - The Rovin' Dies Hard - https://youtu.be/SL3Aj3ySr9c

Don't give up,

The Woozle

"When the war gets here

We're all gonna hold hands
All the Baptists and the Catholics
All the Marxists and the Fascists..."

Jesse Welles, Red, 2025

* thanks to Billy Connolly for that line.

World Wide Woozle episode #660

Welcome back. If Tinkerbell rings her little bell then you're in the wrong place.

I was meant to be in Melbourne today watching Angus compete in his first half-ironman race. Sadly, I couldn't physically manage that, a week in Melbourne, and then AC/DC. So we chose the gig which is in a week. Sadly, for Angus and all the other competitors, the swim leg was cancelled as a result of poor water quality. And it was cold and wet today! Nevertheless, he did really well on the 90km ride and 21km run. It's a poor substitute but I followed along via the tracking app supplied by the folks at Ironman. I'm a proud old Dad.

Crowded House - Four Seasons In One Day - https://youtu.be/si3dBlNdifE

Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog entry. I'm feeling quite out of sorts today. As I wrote last time, with my physical recovery coming along nicely, it's like there is space in my brain again. The downside is feeling that all I've done for months is worry about myself and not everyone else out there. I'll try and put that right. For now I think I'll go for yet another walk. Some cycling with my mates will hopefully be back on the cards after I return from Melbourne.

You Am I - Heavy Heart - https://youtu.be/m57Ut4tMlsU

Keep smiling folks,

The Woozle

"Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me..."

Green Day, Basket Case, 1994.

World Wide Woozle episode #659

Welcome back, enormous listening world.

I've started the countdown; twelve days until I get to see AC/DC. This will be the fourth time for me (1991, 2001, 2015, 2025)  and I can't see there being another. There is only one original member left (although Brian did join in 1980) and they aren't young fellas any more. Still, there's a lot to be said about getting out there and doing what you enjoy. They definitely don't need the money and I'm sure a long tour is taxing on everyone, so I am thankful that they love the music and their fans enough to keep on rocking. I've read quite a lot about how they aren't at their best and so on. Guess what? I don't care. For a band that started in the early 70s they're going pretty well. I can't imagine them sitting at home with their pipes and slippers just yet.

AC/DC - Are You Ready - https://youtu.be/CIhylLW4Fcs

It's now a year since I was in the USA. At about this time in 2024 I was in Tupelo MS, visiting Elvis' birthplace, trying to find dinner at ALDI, having a ball on the beautiful Natchez Trace Parkway, and wondering why the travel booking website had given me a hotel in the middle of an industrial area. One day I'll get back to the USA, it's a fabulous place to visit, but not for another three or so years. One of the reasons I went was to make up my own mind about Americans. As Billy Bragg once said, "Americans aren't all right wing, Reagan voters who only listen to Van Halen", and of course he was correct. From DC to Nashville, Tupelo, Memphis, Mesquite, Atlanta, Birmingham, Gadsden and Huntsville, people there could not have been friendlier or more helpful. My physical rehab is coming along steadily so I should be able to travel far and wide before too long.

Motley Crue – City Boy Blues - https://youtu.be/5hxF4Q7GmyY

Taylor Swift's new album has, predictably, sold a bunch of copies. It's a collector's dream, or nightmare, with all the different versions available. I don't have a physical copy just yet but I have taken the opportunity to listen online. Is it her best? Maybe not. Is it a great album? I think so. Taylor and her crew really do know how to make a record sound great. By that I mean their dedication to the craft of recording and sound production. This is not tinny, throwaway pop at all. And while it's easy to be either distracted or consumed by the hype, behind it all is an artist who writes songs, plays instruments, engages with fans, and puts on a great show. The constant shapeshifting and reinvention reminds me of a very successful Australian pop star. Kylie isn't all that different (the lack of a country and western background notwithstanding). Haters gonna hate. Just listen to this bassline...sublime.

Taylor Swift - Ruin The Friendship - https://youtu.be/WQCPl5rTMDQ

As mentioned previously, Bruce Springsteen has released the expanded version of his 1982 album, Nebraska. My copy is still coming from somewhere overseas, who knows where it is. On a side note, I could rant and rave about the time it takes for parcels to get to and from Australia but that won't change anything so I will have to remain patient. So, I weakened and listened online. There are four discs and here's a quick rundown for you.

Disc 1 - this is made up of demos for what would become some of Nebraska and some of Born In The USA. If you're familiar with those albums then you'll recognise some lyrics, melodies and songs. These are demos so clearly not all are fully formed but it's a good insight into the Boss' songwriting. I enjoyed it but I imagine more casual fans won't be all that keen.

Disc 2 - Electric Nebraska. Having recorded the demo for the album, these tracks are the whole band trying to lay down an electric version. There is one stinker in this set but the rest are so much better than we'd been led to believe. This is a disc I will play many times over. I don't think that the Nebraska songs lose anything with a whole band, they are just different. They still reek of desperation and small-town troubles, but in a different way to the stark feeling of the album we are familiar with.

Disc 3 - Nebraska live. Bruce didn't tour for the original album so here we have him playing the whole thing right through. Recorded for this release, it's OK I guess but it's not essential. It comes on video with the CD set so maybe I'll enjoy it more when I watch it.

Disc 4 – the remastered version of the original album. Considering this was recorded on a 4-track cassette machine in a bedroom, then carried around in Bruce's pocket for a while, the quality is astounding. These songs stand the test of time. Maybe I'll take a trip to Nebraska one day and I'll stay in a mansion on a hill.

Bruce Springsteen - Reason to Believe (Electric Nebraska version) -  https://youtu.be/20gSNJ0bHtQ

I want to share with all y'all something that the chiropractor told me last week. After manipulating my spine, he said that my back was, "almost unremarkable". It took a while for me to understand what he meant. I still must work hard with my exercise routine three or four times a day, but it is continuing to have a positive impact. Only a few weeks ago I really didn't think I'd be getting to Melbourne to see AC/DC, but I'll be there even though I have to fly instead of doing the eight-hour drive each way. I'm having to train my brain to stop telling me that my back hurts because, 95% of the time it doesn't, and the other 5% it is just a bit stiff. Meanwhile my hip flexors, glutes, TFL, psoas and related bits all do something different every day as they adjust to a back that isn't badly jammed up. Other than not being in constant pain, there is now room in my brain. And by this, I mean that I don't spend every waking hour worrying and catastrophizing or meditating to deal with all that. This manifested itself on the weekend by me actually caring about what I was getting for my weekly meals, and then the huge shock of getting a few new items of clothing. There is still a way to go, and I really, really, really want to get on my bike soon, but it's coming. Imagine that; I did what the chiro and the psychologist told me to do, stuck to it, and it is working.

Gary Jules - Mad World - https://youtu.be/etSbOs3aUqI

I do love a new release. I don't enjoy being told to pre-order one with six months to go until it sees the light of day (or the airwaves). Bing seems to get it right with a short lead time, a teaser, and then BOOM here it is. With the release of his new long player, Songs from E-Country coming very soon, the first single was let loose on the internets this week. Keen listeners will recognise the track but, don't look away because this is a serious update to the version you might know. If Nine Inch Nails is a band that you enjoy then perhaps George has something for you here. And the clip, goodness me, I think it's his best by far, seriously adding to the vibe and lyrics of the song.

George Huitker – The Truth About Lonely - https://youtu.be/SJEhfOi-HXw

That's all for now. Get outside.
The Woozle

"…and now that I live to see my melodies betray me,
I'm sorry the love songs all mean different things today." 

Jason Isbell, Gravelweed, 2025.

World Wide Woozle episode #658

Welcome back.

Ace Frehley 1951-2025

With the passing of 'The Spaceman' it seems that suddenly everyone is a KISS fan. It would be very easy to be cynical about that but I hope that his family are feeling the love. I'm a fan and I have been for a long time in one form or another. In the southern hemisphere summer of 1980 KISS came to New Zealand. I was too young to really be into their music at that time but KISS' marketing and PR team were kicking huge goals. One of the boys who lived next door had older brothers and therefore access to a portable record player and some LPs. They might have been his as I remember he was a bit spoiled! I spent ages enthralled by the covers of Dynasty and Unmasked. KISS were rock stars and cartoon characters rolled into one. I always thought that Ace's makeup was the best, and that his wardrobe was too. Then, probably that Christmas, someone got KISS makeup. It wasn't me but I remember wearing it all day. The result is that I no longer have eyebrows to speak of! A few years later KISS released Crazy Nights and that was the first album of theirs that I owned. Yep, I know that Ace isn't on it. Not long after I started to go back through their catalogue and became more than a casual fan. Ace didn't play complicated guitar, but it was flashy, loud and fun. His solo records are very strong, and he was rocking right up until the end. 

KISS - Shock Me (live 1977) - https://youtu.be/5R2gAcEJ2xQ

Ace Frehley - Rock Soldiers - https://youtu.be/1II4NX_4tlc

KISS - 2000 Man (unplugged) - https://youtu.be/PC9xjboGmsk

Chris Brown - 1961-2025

Yesterday I went to the funeral of one of my friends. I first met Brownie in 2001 when I was a student teacher and he was my supervisor. From 2002-2004 he was my boss. Pretty much all the good stuff in my teaching career was as a result of his influence. Brownie was so chilled in the classroom that he was almost asleep. Not much fazed him and he genuinely loved working with young people. 

As well as mentoring me into becoming a half decent teacher, Brownie and I played music together at every opportunity. We backed students when they were wanting to record their own songs or at live performances and in musicals. We swam together regularly before school. A senior teacher once asked Chris how well he knew me and his reply was that we showered together twice a week! 

In 2005 I was struggling a lot both personally and professionally. Brownie saw this and asked me to play guitar for a production he was also performing in. I had to learn songs that I would never have learned in a pink fit but it was a welcome distraction, a lot of fun, and helped sort me out. 

Brownie introduced me to my very good friend George and we played in the band, in a number of forms, for quite a few years. He would stand to my right on stage, rock solid on the bass, yelling out notes and smiling when I got something right! One day, when we'd finished a run of Midnight Oil songs he remarked at the amount of time I had spent trying to actually get the same sounds on guitar as the Oils have. I guess he listened a lot more closely than I thought. He was also the guy that, on tour, washed his underpants in the bottom of the shower stall.

One time I asked Brownie how he'd learned to play the harmonica so quickly (we'd needed it for one or two Midnight Oil songs). His answer was that he played every day whilst driving to and from work until he got it right. That made me laugh long and hard.

It's hard to deal with when someone dies before their time. Although Chris had been unwell for a while, the funeral upset me a lot more than I thought it would. Afterwards I spent some time listening to this song. Brownie and I would almost blow a gasket trying to keep singing the high backing parts at the end of it. 

Midnight Oil - One Country - https://youtu.be/Mz3HShQkdd4

That's all for this time.

The Woozle

World Wide Woozle episode #657

Welcome back. Please avoid using the lavatories until we are underway.

This episode is a little bit different. I am of the generation where video clips became an important part of popular music. Sure, they are a marketing ploy but often they are a lot of fun and add quite a bit to a song. So, in this episode, noting that I am from the MTV / rage / Rock Arena generation, I've chosen a few of my favourite clips. 

Let's start with one of the greatest hard rock videos ever. It's got every rock and roll cliche in existence but it's a total riot. I always wanted to have enough hair so that I could have a fan on the stage to blow it around! I can't believe that in this day and age that someone felt the need to censor the word "tit" though. Ridiculous.

Monster Magnet - Space Lord - https://youtu.be/dscfeQOMuGw

The next clip is Johnny Cash's version of Hurt. It's like the song was written for him and the clip moves things up to another level. I haven't done a deep dive into the story behind the song but I know it resonates with a lot of people out there. I won't say I enjoyed playing this live with the band but it always meant something to me.

Johnny Cash - Hurt - https://youtu.be/8AHCfZTRGiI

The next clip makes me laugh every single time I see it. I've played in a number of garage bands and the neighbours were never this impressed with us. Those high heels look dangerous...

Bowling for Soup - 1985 - https://youtu.be/K38xNqZvBJI

Many years ago now I played in a Goth band. Well, we were billed as Gothabilly but there was less billy and more rock. We didn't wear makeup or all black gear but maybe success would've been ours if we had! I do like people who don't take themselves too seriously and that's why this clip is so good.

Royal Republic - Staying Alive - https://youtu.be/JvuCvGUpFpA

I'm not a huge fan of bands whose videos are just them miming to a backing track. I know that for a long time it was very common, and probably cost effective. The "live performance" clips that I like give a sense of the energy of a live gig. In the 80s, Bon Jovi were one of the best bands at doing this. I could have played almost any clip from their Slippery When Wet album here. Videos like this made me want to stand on a stage and play rock and roll.

Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name - https://youtu.be/KrZHPOeOxQQ

Weezer have always been a bit left of centre and it works well for them. They are quirky but not so much to put people off. This song, and I imagine the clip too, made them pretty popular down here in Australia and turned us on to their sound. This might just be my favourite music video ever.

Weezer - Buddy Holly - https://youtu.be/kemivUKb4f4

I could go on and on here but I won't. That's enough. Oh, ok then one more. Speaks for itself.

Painter and Dockers - Nude School - https://youtu.be/hBWTcAAtMj4

Get well soon Dad, I love you.

The Woozle

"Don't care about your f*ckin' sneakers, 

Don't care about your poxy friends..."

H Block 101, Group Dynamics, 2001

World Wide Woozle episode #656

Welcome back. In the event of an emergency, there's a case under your seat containing a Walkman(tm), AA batteries, headphones, and a Tom Waits cassette.

Tom Waits - Get Behind The Mule - https://youtu.be/brVbfzTHods

A while ago I wrote a post about gratitude. I'm not sure I expected many people to read it but the counter on the blog site tells me that over 100 people had a look. Today I'm grateful for that, thank you all.

I like albums. I like singles and EPs as well but the long playing album is where it's at. Albums can tell a story, they can build you up, they can bring you down. In the olden days, when I had hair, the car radio played singles and at home I listened to albums in their entirety. AC/DC's Shoot To Thrill sounds wrong to me if it doesn't follow on from Hells Bells. Last week, as the never ending jaunt through my CD collection continued, I hit the Midnight Oil section. Honestly, it's quite a long time since I listened to more than one or two Oils songs. What I discovered was that I didn't actually own a copy of Blue Sky Mining (1990) other than maybe a cassette I'd recorded from DJ Big Annie's CD back in the day. This was easily remedied with the disc being  purchased for about $8 shipped via eBay. And so I popped the disc in to play...

Midnight Oil - Stars of Warburton - https://youtu.be/F1b9oGV3apM

Blue Sky Mining is one of those albums for me that tells a few stories. There are five released singles from the ten tracks, so someone else obviously thought this was a strong record. I bought the sheet music book which would prove very useful years later when I had to learn five songs from this album for the Junk Sculpture gigs. It's easy to be blasé about the hits as they are overplayed by commercial radio, but, on reflection and with the benefit of not hearing them for ages (commercial radio is not for me), I was almost dumbstruck by how well the whole record hangs together. Give it a spin sometime. Or come and visit as I think it will be on regular rotation for a while at HQ World Wide Woozle because, "I can shake, I can move, but I can't live without your love..."

Midnight Oil - Shakers and Movers - https://youtu.be/QbNuwiL0sY8

I've been forced to accept that my physical recovery is going to take a while. The conservative estimate is six months. This is extremely frustrating. While I enjoy going for a walk, and I do that nine days out of ten, I miss my bike and the camaraderie of being out with my Northside Velo crew. I miss being able to go out early for breakfast and also to sleep without a million pillows. I have had a bit of a breakthrough though and some exercises before I get out of bed in the morning have meant that for the last six days I have been a lot more mobile first up. My next trick will be to be able to sit comfortably for more than ten minutes.

Juliana Hatfield - Physical - https://youtu.be/UfiMIK-x1uI

I've been a fan of Laura Kidd's music projects, She Makes War, Penfriend, and Obey Robots for a while now. She's someone you should check out and support via her website. The next five CDs in my listening journey are Laura's. She also provides a whole range of email and video updates. In the latest email, after reading all about upcoming gigs, music, and a lot more I saw that right at the bottom of the email it said, "I'm so glad you're here Rob..." You know what Laura? Today I am as well. The smallest thing can make people feel better.

Penfriend - Emotional Tourist - https://youtu.be/c94dy-Sl35M

That's all for this time, friends.

Keep smiling,

The Woozle

"No matter how far wrong you've gone
You can always turn around"

Gil Scott-Heron, I'm New Here, 2010.

World Wide Woozle episode #655

Welcome back. Jolly good luck.

This morning was foul. I woke up ready to have breakfast, do my exercises, have a shower and then go to work. Getting into work clothes, my back had other ideas and decided to spasm, leaving me crying on the floor in sheer frustration. The now very clear Pavlovian response caused by back pain kicked in and did its worst for a while. One lot of pain would be OK, but both physical and mental is too much. Fortunately, I already had a psych appointment in a few hours so I switched it to telehealth, gritted my teeth and waited. What I need to work on, other than continuing to be kind to myself, is catching the moment between physical pain and the onset of the end of the world in my mind. So, another day of either standing up or lying on the floor. Recovery isn't linear, I know that, I just need to be better at accepting it. I am hard on myself and it doesn't help.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Today - https://youtu.be/xmUZ6nCFNoU

I wrote a thing today about gratitude. You can read it here if you like. Some of you are probably in it. Lots of you aren't named but are there in spirit, I know.

Faith No More - We Care A Lot - https://youtu.be/LQhX8PbNUWI

Are you interested in playlists? I am for now, but maybe I'll go back to mixtapes soon so dust off your cassette players. The regular listening playlist hurtles on wildly in and out of oblivion; it's still here on Spotify. I have a new one for all y'all as well. My Dad told me about a night they were having at the folk club down there in Geelong recently. The theme was something along the lines of songs that make you cry. I love a theme. And remember that you don't have to be sad to cry, it can be joyful too. So here's a few tracks that elicit that kind of emotional response in me for one reason or another. Feel free to give me a yell with a song or two that are tear jerkers in your opinion.

Alex The Astronaut - If I Could Start Today Again - https://youtu.be/TlHU19oI-HU

Bruce Springsteen's album Nebraska is an important one for me for a few reasons I've explored before. When I read that he is to release a remastered version packaged up with the complete album performed live, demo tracks and the long lost electric version that shelved, it piqued my interest. To Bruce's credit, the price of this re-issue set is very reasonable compared to what a lot of bands expect us to pay, so I have ponied up for a pre-order. Here's the original, electric version of a song you might know. It didn't make the Nebraska album but was a bit of a hit on the next release. This one feels much angrier and that suits the lyrics much better I reckon.

Bruce Springsteen - Born In The USA - https://youtu.be/9YNufvgPP20

Eddie Van Halen once took a journalist driving in his car to listen to his new album because it apparently sounded best there. I don't drive all that much, especially at the moment because sitting down hurts, but when I do there are a few songs that are windows down, locks flowing (!), head-nodding, playing drums on the steering wheel numbers. This is one. I'd forgotten all about it and I just got the CD for like $5. Bargain.This song starts with a real bang and never lets up. It has to be one of the best examples of instantly grabbing an audience .

Bryan Adams - There Will Never Be Another Tonight - https://youtu.be/l5N6dupJ2Ko

Finally, the 'bogan punk' of Melbourne's PLAYLUNCH. There's a strong language warning for this one, and an appearance from Big Bad Barry Hall. This is quality and I love it.

PLAYLUNCH - Keith - https://youtu.be/7PTvxw4fc9M

Thanks for reading, I love youse all.

Keep smiling,

The Woozle

"I got a pocket full of crumpled bills,

I got a stomach full of different pills..."

Andrew Dice Clay, I Ain't Got You, 1990.